Electrolytic cell.



, v 'PAIENTED APR. 7,- 190s. A. s. GRAY. I ELECTROLYTIC UELL. AIPLIOATIOH FILED IAR. 15, 1900.

' mum's-sum 1.

II Z5 UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE.

ALBERT S. GRAY, OF CHIGAGQILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ROSS BEATTY, TRUSTEE, OF

CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT s. GRAY, a

citizen of the United. States, and a resident.

of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Electrolytic Cells, of which the following is declared to be a full,

. clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to improved electrolytic .cellsmore especially adapted for the treatment of ores, and the invention seeks to provide for the rapid escape of the gases I evolved at'the cathode element of the cell that would otherwise preventwthe proper passage of the current through the cell and the charge therein under treatment.

preferred form viewoflthe improved cell. Fig. 5'is alongi- Y tudinal section thereof taken on line 55 .of

Fig. 2.- Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a -modified form of the cell.- section of the'cell shown in Fig. 6.

- The improved cell is an elongated hollow' structure preferably formed of wood planking and in the form shown," comprises the top and bottom sections 10 and 11 and side portions 12 that are securely bound together y. through bolts 13. Cap'pieces 14. fit'over the ends of thewooden body ortion of the cell and are connected toget er' by longitudinally' extending b'race rods15.

' The cell is provided with a longitudinally extendingfdia'hragm 16 of cotton duck or-.

canvas, the e ges of which (see Fig; 2) eX- .tend, and are securely clamped, between 18. The cap .t at open into the anode. chamber 18 be'.

" neath the diaphragm for the circulation ofsections of the side walls. 12. -The dia-j phragm divides the cell into an upper cathode chamber 17 and into a lower anode, chamber V pieces 14' are provided reectively with an inlet 19 and an outlet 20 the charge under treatment through the Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed March 15, 1906. Serial 110. 306,164

I cell.

Fig. 7 is across- Patented April 7, 1908-.

Suitable transverseand longitudinal brace bars 20 and 21 are arranged in thecell above the diaphragm 16 so that the latter-is held by these 'bars inits proper position against the pressure of the charge circulating in the anode chamber.

so I

The cell is provided with anode and cathode elements arranged in the respective chem-'- hers. The. anode element referably com prises plates or blocks 23 o a hard carbon. These blocks are arranged in the lower portion of the anode chamber and project through one 'of'the side walls of the cell, the outer p011.- tions of the blocks being provided with suitable binding posts 24. The cathode element is formed of one or more plates 25 of lead or copper and are arrangedwithin the upper portion of the cathode chamber 17 just "beneath the top fwall 10 of. thecell.

These metal sheets or plates forming the cathode element project'throug'h one of the side walls of the cell and are provided with suitable binding posts 26.

The longitudinal extending brace bars 22 are preferably formed of wood and their'u perjedges are in engagement with .the cat ode element or term1nal25. The cross strips 21 are of less widththan the lon itudinal strips 22 and are preferably rabbete into the lower edges thereof and into the sidewalls of the cells. The diaphragm 16. is held b transverse and longitudinal bars 21 an 22 in the position against the .upward pressure exerted y the charge'circulating in the anode chah1' ber 18.

arranged between the separate portions of the cell so that the latter will be liquid tight. The cell is preferably disposed infinclined position in use, as shown in Fig. 1. r .The cir-. .culation of the. charge ma be maintained therethrough in any suita le manner.

is connected to a pipe 28 that leads lower portion of a suitable mixi receptacle 30.. The latter is rovi' ed with a valve inlet pipe 31 through W IIl to be treated may be admitted.

- In the apparatus shown, the outlet. cap piece -14 of the cell is connected to a suitable ejector 32, which in turn communicates with a pipe 33,1eading upwardly therefrom. and

In a the apparatus shown, the inlet cap fpiece l114.

.rom t e tank or -9D Packing-strips 27 of suitable material are oh the charge h'avin at its upper end a valved discharge branc 35 and a valved return branch 34 that communicatesWith the inlet pipe 31. of the I tank. The ejector 32 isprovided with a ipei 35 for the introduction of steam or other Enid under ressure for maintaining the circulation of film charge. 7

The aparatus has. been ohiefl employed for the ecomposition of goldand ilver ores. The finely ground ore mixed withwater suffi- "cient to form a-pulp, is introduced-into the mixing tank or receptacle 30.-

In the case of acid ores a certain amount of lime'is preferably added. .Steam is introduced into the pipe 36 of the ejector 32 and the charge is merits.

circulated through the cell where it is exposed-to the action of 'the electric current passing between the anode and cathodeele- To provide for the quick escape of the hydrogen and other gas evolved at the cathode' terminal, a plurality of vent openings37 are provided that preferably extend through the cathode terminal and communicate with a number of outwardly extending pipes 38. Thecentral diaphragm sup orting strip 22 is cutaway at its'uppcr edge see Fi s. 2 and 3) opposite the vent openings 37 an the upper e ges-of the other ongitud'inally supporting strips 22 are also notched so that the hydroen gasthat accumulates on the under sur- Eace'jot the cathode may easily escape from all portions of the cathode'elementas soon asit is. generated. For eiiecti'vetreatmeut it proper has'beenfound highly necessary to thus provide for the nick escape, of thehydrogen gaswhich would otherwise interfere with the assage of the current through the. cell. e inclined position of the cell prevents the evolved gas from being trapped beneath any portion of thecathode term nal and also materially aids inits escape through the vent openings.

, "Thegiipes 38' from the vent openings lead upwar y (see Fig, 1) to a common level and are of sufficient height to overcome the h drostatic ressure within the cathode c amber so t at the liquid passing through the vent openings 37 cannot escapein any material amount.- It is desirable that the liquid should rise to a certain extent Within the pipes 38 in order that the cathode element shall .be at all times'conipletely sub merged in liquid and thusl'permit the ready passage of the current between the cell termif ment therein.

' is provided with an outlet 40.

i the charge through the anode chamber 18.

In this way, the cathode element of the cell is at all times kept submerged-in liquid so open, upper end thereof.

tank.

that the" electric currentmay readily pass throughthecell I and such circulation also aids in carrying the evolved gas collecting on the 'undersurface of the cathode out throu h the vents 37.

In the modified form of cell shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the series of vent pipes 37 are d1s' pensed with and the reater part of the top ortion 10' of'thecel is cutaway, and a arger number of vent openings 37 are rovided in the cathode element 25. That is to say, in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inolu-' sive, only a single row of. vent openings are employed while in the form shown in Fig. 7,

there are three of-these rows and the openings are considerabl elon ated, as shown. These openings are locate over the strips 22, the upper edges ofwhich are cut away or beveled (see' Fig. 7) to permit the ready exit of the evolved gas from all portions of'the under surface of the cathode element 25 through the vent openings 37'. f In place of the pipes 38, a liquid holding receptacle 42 is secured at its lower edge about the edge of the opening 41 in the upper portion 10 of, the cell. This receptacle extends upwardly to-a suflicient height to balance the pressure within the anode chamber of the cell and to v prevent the escape of the liquid that passes through the vent openings 37.- In this form, the number of vent openings may be larger and the escape of the evolved gas'is more readily and rapidly effected since the gas-does not have to pass through small vent pipes, but readily passes up through the liquid in the receptacle 42 and through the Receptacle 42 may be provided at its upper end with an overflow pipe 43 leading to a suitable receiving It is not essential that the charge shall be circulated repeatedly through the same cell as in the form shown in Fig. -1, but the oirculation may be throu h anuniber of cells arranged in series. fter suflicient electro lytlc treatment with water alone, salt may be added to the charge so that the generation of nascent chlorin gas by the electric current will dissolve the old and silver in the form 01'' chlorids. that the present improved apparatus will effect an extraction as high as 78% with a sulfid ore which, with the old preliminary roasting and cyanid treatment will not give an extraction of above 50%. In the emplo ment of the present apparatus with such sul 'd ores no preliminary roasting is essential, the decomposing action of the currentbeingsuch as to break 11) the sulfids and render the precious metals present readily soluble.

The cell'may also be advantageously used for the bleaching of Wood pulp or other materials by the circulation of a salt solution, either with or without the addition of the It has been found in practice scribed.

' phragm dividing the same into cathode and anode chambers, cathode and anode eleculation o the charge under treatment open vents for the escape of evolved gases from "ated at the anode element ofthe cell, while parture from the essentials of the invention.

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters per cathode and lower anode elements a diaphragm separating the same and inlet and outlet openings for the circulation of the phragm dividing the same into cathode and vents for the escape of evolved gases from Wood pulp or other substance tube bleached through the cell for the generation of a nascent chlorin byjthe electrolytic action of the current upon the salt solutlon. If the substance to be bleached is not mixed with the salt solution the electrolyzed solution is run into a vat containing such material. Under such circumstances the .chlorin gas is generthe hydrogen .gas generated at the cathode finds a ready exit through the vents so that it does not prevent the proper passage of the current through the cell.

It is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the details set forth without de- Having described my invention, what 1 Patent, is

L An electrolytic cell provided with upcharge under treatment through the cell between the anode and cathode elements, said cell having multiple vents for the escape of evolved gases, leading from the under surface of the cathode element and liquid holding means about the exits of said vents, substantially as described.

3. An electrolytic cell provided with a diaments in said chambers respectively, said cell havin an inlet and an outlet for the ciring into the anode chamber, and multiple said cathode chamber, substantially as described.

4. An electrolytic cell provided with a diaanode chambers, cathode and anode ele. ments in said chambers respectively, said cell having an inlet and an outlet for the cir culation of the charge under treatment opening into the anode chamber, and multiple.

said cathode chamber and means for mainl taining said cathode element submerged, I substantially as described. a.

5. An electrolytic cell provided with a diaphragm dividing the same into cathode and anode chambers, cathode and anodeelements in said chambers respectively, said. cell having an inlet and an outlet for the circulation of. the charge under treatment opening into the anode chamber, and multiple vents for the esca e of evolved gases from said cathode cham er and means for maintaining a separate circulation of hquld through said cathode chamber, substantially as .described.

6. An electrolytic cell provided With a diaphragm dividing the same into upper oathtively, said cell having an inlet and an outlet opening into said anode chamber for the circulation of the charge under treatment through the cell, multiple vents leading upwardly from the cathode chamber through the cathode element therein and means for maintaining liquid about the exits of said vents, substantially as described. I

8. An electrolytic cell provided with a diaphragm dividing the same into upper cathode and lower anode chambers, cat anode elements in said chambers respectively, said cell having an inlet and an outlet opening into said anode chamber for the circulation of the charge under treatment through the cell, multiple, vents leading upwardly from the cathode chamber through the cathode element therein and an inlet and outlet for separate circulation of liquid through said cathode chamber, substantially as described.

- 9. An electrolytic cell arranged in inclined position, provided with a diaphragm dividmg the same into upper cathode and lower anode elements and having an inlet and an outlet for the circulation of the char e under treatment opening into said anode c iamber, and cathode and anode elements in said respective chambers, said cell having multi le vents leading from the under surface of t e cathode element for the escape of the gases there evolved and means for maintaining liquid in said cathode chamber and about the exits of said vents, substantially as de-' scribed.

ALBERT S. GRAY- Witnesses:

' LILLIAN PRENTIGE,

KATHARINE GERLAOH.

ode and 

